I was hungry and you fed me

[Godlovesmetwo]

Re Matthew 25:31-46
Ok here's the checklist again:
-hungry and you fed me
-thirsty and you gave me drink
-stranger and you welcomed me
-naked and you welcomed me
-sick and you took care of me
-in prison and visited me

"When you do any of these for the least important member in the community, then you do it for me."
For me, if I take this Gospel literally its:
fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, fail
unrighteous, sorry Paul here's your one-way ticket to Hell

So isnt this about good works? Yeah I know, good works don't make us righteous necessarily. I cant help but be impressed by Charity workers though.
I want to look at this more holistically then. This crucial Gospel passage is asking us to stop making ourselves the centre of the universe. Start noticing others, especially those in need. Start seeing Jesus behind the mask. Sometimes bad behaviour in others is a cry for help So its more about our attitude than our achievements. Going from self-pity to compassion for others. Selflessness. Fine tuning our antenna for others. Using our sensitivity for others instead of ourselves. This is about transformation surely. To the person God wants us to be.

 

[timewerx]

If you read the rest of the chapter, you'll find those who did not do such acts will not be saved.

Here's an even more interesting matter in that chapter, you'll notice the people Jesus was talking about, did not know this teaching! They simply did such good things out of the goodness of their heart not because someone told them so!

 

[Korean-American Christian]

Re Matthew 25:31-46
This crucial Gospel passage is asking us to stop making ourselves the centre of the universe. Start noticing others, especially those in need. Start seeing Jesus behind the mask. Sometimes bad behaviour in others is a cry for help So its more about our attitude than our achievements. Going from self-pity to compassion for others. Selflessness. Fine tuning our antenna for others. Using our sensitivity for others instead of ourselves. This is about transformation surely. To the person God wants us to be.

I agree. This is about transformation, to the person God wants me to be.

For those who go hungry, buy them food.

For the homeless, buy them food and direct them to resources (safe shelters, food banks, etc)

For orphans, actually go to an orphanage and volunteer your time and energy.
Build relationships with the children by going to the same orphanage regularly.

 

[Tolworth John]

We all cannot visit the homeless etc, but we can fund those who do and take an interest in what they are doing.etc

 

[Jesuscentered]

I know a lot of people who would agree that our attitude should be one that desires to help those in need, feed the hungry, etc., but when you hear them speak about the homeless, or about those on welfare, those in jail, enemies, etc., it's the exact opposite from what Jesus taught. It's like there's a disconnect between what they want to believe about themselves and who they've culturally become. They have difficulty (even in thought) seeking to do the things taught in Matthew 25. Their mouths betray them. They'll say things like, "In a perfect world..." But as far as I can tell, Jesus didn't live in a perfect world. He expects us to have a loving heart. 1 John says, he who does not love his brother does not know God.

Should we not at the very least seek to do these things when presented with the opportunity to do them? Should we not at the very least stop speaking poorly of those who are on the down and out? I find that this is a major problem within the United States today. So many people claim to be Christian and desire to hold Jesus up as their savior, but have no desire to actually follow Him or do anything that He expects of us.

 

[Jesuscentered]

We all cannot visit the homeless etc, but we can fund those who do and take an interest in what they are doing.etc

There seems to be homeless everywhere near where I live. It wouldn't take much to find them. You say that we can fund "those who take an interest in what they are doing..." Are you saying that you have no interest?

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

I find that this is a major problem within the United States today. So many people claim to be Christian and desire to hold Jesus up as their savior, but have no desire to actually follow Him or do anything that He expects of us.

Afraid of doing works perhaps?
Faith alone is enough?

 

[Jesuscentered]

Afraid of doing works perhaps?
Faith alone is enough?

True faith requires repentance of sin. How is one forgiven and receive repentance for a sin unless he first admits that his belief/action is wrong? Is not the fruit of faith witnessed through transformation?... No matter how small that transformation might be? We are constantly in a state of transformation. Or at least we should be. It's a lifelong occurrence. But "belief" is not enough, as far as I'm concerned. As James says, "Even Satan and the demons believe." Belief is not making Jesus your Lord and Savior. It's simply trying to make Him a means to an end.

 

[Tolworth John]

There seems to be homeless everywhere near where I live. It wouldn't take much to find them. You say that we can fund "those who take an interest in what they are doing..." Are you saying that you have no interest?

No I'm saying that those who are helping the poor, homeless etc et etc always need additional resources and if are a Christian center welcome your prayers.
Not everyone has to do all the charity work, but we can all give, pray, attend meetings, sign pettitions and encourage those who are doing.

 

[Bob Crowley]

I'm not pushing my own barrow here, but I do a bit of work with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society on a voluntary basis. Not a great deal mind you, but it's there. Over the last two weeks our little group has helped, amongst others, a young bloke who probably has a drug habit, but whose parents both committed suicide. There were two indigenous women who recently lost a 17 year old nephew and grand son to suicide, and a NZ couple who are keen to work, but can't afford to register their car to get to work. We didn't do much, but just tried to get them over the next speed bump in their lives.

In other words there's a lot of people out there needing help in one way or another. Sometimes they just want company. Other times they need counselling which we can't provide, or like the young bloke just about need a complete lifestyle makeover, but who is going to provide it? Want to stick your neck out and invite him into your home?

When Christ stated He would be lifted up from the earth and draw all men to Himself, He was, in some supernatural way, entering into all men. This means that whatever we do is known intimately to Him, and if we treat the poor and the lowly badly, He knows about it, rest assured.

So the business of serving the poor isn't an optional extra - it's a command.

I also know this much. Left to my natural self, I'd have been far too selfish to do anything like get involved with Vinnies, or any other charity.

It's only because of Christ in me that I bother to make any charitable efforts, in my case anyway. Which is why I get irritated when others accuse us of trying to achieve salvation by works.

God EXPECTS us to do some works!